Nehemiah 6:5

5 The fifth time Sanballat sent his helper to me with the message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter.

Nehemiah 6:5 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 6:5

Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the
fifth time
In his own name, neither Tobiah nor Geshem joining with him, he being more solicitous and anxious to get him into his hands than any of them; and it may be, as some think, pretending more friendship for him than the rest, and therefore writes alone, as if they knew nothing of his writing:

with an open letter in his hand:
which having in it an intimation of Nehemiah being guilty of treason, anyone that would might read it, and so spread the defamation.

Nehemiah 6:5 In-Context

3 So I sent messengers to them with this answer: "I am doing a great work, and I can't come down. I don't want the work to stop while I leave to meet you."

4 Sanballat and Geshem sent the same message to me four times, and each time I sent back the same answer.

5 The fifth time Sanballat sent his helper to me with the message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter.

6 This is what was written: A report is going around to all the nations, and Geshem says it is true, that you and the Jewish people are planning to turn against the king and that you are rebuilding the wall. They say you are going to be their king

7 and that you have appointed prophets to announce in Jerusalem: "There is a king of Judah!" The king will hear about this. So come, let's discuss this together.